Inlay Decorative Boxes

Anglo-Indian inlaid box with elephant motif (circa 1920s). Dimensions: 14"H x 19.5"W x 13"D.

Water flowing over rocks creates a contrast between the sparkle of the water and the relative opacity of the rocks. In these boxes black lacquer pours over natural shells that glow a...

Stunning mosaic design, this intricate quite large wood jewelry box is made from multiple micro pieces of wood, mother of pearl with some possib...

Included in this group: Rectangular inlaid box with hinged lid revealing silk and paper lining. The box with mosaic central cartouche, geometric banding. Dimensions: 3 1/4" W x 4 5/8...

Mexican cabinet. Made of tortoiseshell, pen-engraved and wood. Possible Oaxaca or Puebla, 17th century.

Vintage Tessellated with black and white marble jewelry box; velvet lined interior by Maitland Smith.

This cylinder box is an exceptionally fine example of straw marquetry, and a rare survivor of the craft, which involves the cutting, coloring, and mounting of split straws to form de...

This large impressive cabinet featuring a crossbanded walnut and Kingwood and inlaid with satinwood stringing line alternating with Ebony wood inlays. Clean and distilling angelic m...

A beautiful 'as is' late 18th or early 19th century example of 'Marqueterie de Paille', or straw marquetry, work box. The top inlaid with a wonderful cityscape, with early architectu...

Very fine. Early 19th century Napoleon tea caddy. Brass inlay. Crystal vessel (not original).

Brulé means 'burnt' in French. Raw and delicate, the Brulé boxes evoke the idea of baked earth or ashes. There is a powerful energy in the details of decisio...

Exquisite mother of pearl inlaid lacquer elephant motif tissue box, Intricately inlaid all over with numerous elephants in landscape. Fitted with a si...

Handcrafted marquetry Moorish wood inlay micro mosaic with miniature hand painted scene. Handcrafted khatam wooden box with very delicate micro mosaic marquetry from the ancient Pers...

Fabulous and large rosewood and teak fitted letter writing box with brass inlay. Numerous cubbies with lids for various items. Slotted back panel fo...

A vintage 1970s Maitland Smith crackled lacquer box with a burled walnut inlay and brass fittings. Box is a dark brown and retains its original label. The interior is lined with blac...

Vintage Rajasthani Pietra Dura White Stone Inlay Taj Mahal India Style coaster plates. Rajasthani inlaid stone marble decorative set of 7 small roun...

Great craftsmanship with a great Patina from the early 1900s inlaid with Wood and other woodtypes. If you are looking for a stylish and truly decorative box to grace your table or d...

A charming scarce Spanish Colonial era parquetry inlaid cedar legged storage chest (large table box / small trunk) with nicely aged warm rich dark patina. circa 1790 Rustic handmade...

A Tunbridge Ware Games Box with Inlaid Marquetry Image of Eridge Castle, c1870 Additional Information: Heading: Tunbridge Ware - A Games Box with Inlaid Marquetry Image of Eridge Ca...

This box is a jewelry box or a decorative box. It was made in the 1970s, in France. Its lid is made of a checkerboard rectangle in Brass, and wood. It is gold and brown in color.

19th century American folk art box with decorated with inlaid hearts, diamonds, triangles and shields. Possibly sailor made, this sweet little box was likely a valentine or keepsake ...

South American Chilean Mesquite decorative box or cigar box with hinged Mexican Primavera lid. Box bottom and sides are handmade from a single slab of Chilean Mesquite and expertly matched to highlight the distinctive figure and grain lines. Mexican Primavera's natural texture is preserved and locked with hand-cut Chilean Mesquite butterfly inlays. The lid is also exquisitely finished with a solid brass butterfly inlay, which also serves as a handle to lift and lower the lid. Finished with custom-blended Michael Madley Naked oil...

French wood box decorated with marquetry including a stars and geometrical patterns. Straw marquetry was a common technique in the early 20th century. Straw was dyed different colors...

Water flowing over rocks creates a contrast between the sparkle of the water and the relative opacity of the rocks. In these boxes black lacquer pours over natural shells that glow a...

1950's Anglo Indian, Indo Persian style micro mosaic inlaid jewelry box with lid. Large vintage intricate inlaid middle Eastern Persian style box with floral and geometric Islamic Mo...

A very cool midcentury mosaic and wood lidded box, circa 1960s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with some wear and patina. #1444.

A spectacular and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XIV st. Boulle Boîte à Bijoux, signed "Tahan - Fournisseur du Roi" (Royal cabinetmake...

An important Japanese lacquer box with a view of The 'Nieuwe Stadsherberg Van Amsterdam Nagasaki, Edo-period, 1830-1840 The black lacquered wood box, decorated in gold and inla...

Antique box for jewels or treasures, hand inlaid with straw threads, built by prisoners of the time as work for integration and financing, built in Italy, 19th century. Depicting lan...

A fine 18th century satinwood and yew tea caddy, the oval burr panels figuring on all sides with boxwood banding and bone knob to the lid. Wonderful patination and remnants of silver...

1980s decorative pen shell cube box attributed to Maitland Smith. Medium brown pen shell with dark gray tessellated stone accents. Wood lined box. No ma...

An important early antique Italian Renaissance table box, handcrafted in Northern Italy in the 17th/18th century, cassone chest form, richly inlaid, the top and front panel with fruitwood banding framing...

Gilt Lacquer Wood Manuscript storage box Burma 19th century. This wooden box is entirely covered in moulded lacquer-work in relief (known as thayo w...

Art Deco inspired Box with Shagreen and black Ebony detailing. A very special little box from the Boucher & Co Collection, inspired by intricate beaded work created last century by the House of Dior, handcrafted with meticulous attention to detail in the Toowoomba, Australia workrooms. Created from rich, beautifully figured Macassar Ebony sides, black Shagreen lid inlaid with red Shagreen and very fine, solid black ebony lines to create a bow tie design and edged with solid black Ebony moulding. Nickel silver feet and tab are custom made. The interior is fitted with a fine Italian red leather and timberwork protected with a durable clear satin lacquer. Signed and engraved with the registered number. Box size 12.5 x 18.5 x 4 cm Box size including metal feet 13 x 19 x 4.8 cm "In 2008 we were privileged to enjoy an amazing Art Deco exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. The exhibition, organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, was truly a feast for the senses. Amongst the multitude of creations that inspired me was a beautiful little hand-beaded Dior evening clutch...

Always Free Worldwide Shipping Outstanding Feathered Walnut Veneer From our Decanter collection, we are thrilled to offer this rare example Antique Burr Walnut Decanter Box attrib...

Vintage Mosaic Marquetry Moorish Octagonal Footed Music Box Granada Spain 1950. Exquisite handcrafted vintage Middle Eastern Islamic style mosaic marquetry inlaid walnut wood footed ...

In our workshop we apply eggshell lacquer to many things mostly using the inside of the eggshell. The mosaic pattern is achieved with a cracking motion using the ends of pointed tool...

There is type of English sweet called a Licorice Allsort. They are made in different layers and some have little balls covering them. The red lacquer and the little white pieces of e...

Nicole Frères music box with rare "mandoline setting" A beautiful and highly collectible Nicole Frères music box, featuring the rare and sought-after mandoline setting — a special t...

PRESENTING A GORGEOUS 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Sadeli Mosaic Sarcophagus Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India circa 1860-80. Box made of sandalwood with highly carved teak wood reliefs and panels on all sides. Edged with bone and ebony veneers and glorious sadeli mosaic, made from tiny pieces of faux ivory, pewter, green semi-precious stone. The box is in a sarcophagus form with domed lid. The original brass carry handles are on the sides. The interior is in great condition and consists of a removeable mirror under the lid portion, with the original red velvet lining behind it. The base is removeable and contains a number of lidded compartments. 6 of the interior lids on the base, are each inlaid with sadeli mosaic banding. The rest are also carved and chased. The interior is fully complete with 7 lidded faux ivory/bone, thread canisters with sadeli domes and the original bone thimble. The box sits on 4 brass ball or bun feet with the original velvet lining on the base. Some minor repairs and losses, but this box is fully complete. This is ‘rare’ as many of these boxes have not survived in such condition! Included in the sale are 2 photos that were in the box (under the base tray). Interestingly, one of them is a view of downtown Nassau, New Providence (Bermuda) from the early 20C and stamped on the rear. What a ‘journey’ this piece has made! Made in India … travelled to Bermuda, probably via Britain … back to Ireland (where we bought it) …. then to Texas! These boxes were made by superb Indian craftsmen, specifically for sale to the ruling British elite. These types of boxes, carved padouk and sandalwood, (whilst beautiful and superbly crafted) were of a lesser quality, than the more profusely and intricately mosaic inlay, tortoiseshell and ivory boxes, made for the British ‘Upper Classes’ in the areas of Bombay and Vizagapatam. These type of boxes were much more affordable back in 1880 (and indeed today) and would probably have been bought by mid-level diplomats, civil servants or visitors. Sewing boxes (in general), were in EVERY Victorian home in Britain in the 19th Century and like other boxes etc were ‘status symbols’ of your place in society! The more ornate the box, the more ‘Upper Class’ you were! Of it’s type, this one, is one of the very higher quality one’s, than the norm! SADELI MOSAIC: “Anglo Indian boxes were made in India for the English residents from the early part of the 18th century. They were brought back or sent back to England usually by the people who had commissioned them. From the beginning of the nineteenth century they were imported more commercially, although not in any significant numbers until the middle decades. They were very highly valued, especially the early ones, to the extent that the designs were copied on late 19th and early 20th century tins. The ancient art of Sadeli Mosaic is said to have been introduced from Shiraz in Persia via Sind to Bombay, a long time before the Anglo Indian boxes were made. It was a technique, which required a high degree of skill and patience. It was executed very lavishly, in that the frequent cuts wasted a great amount of the precious materials used. The workmanship was however more than commensurable to the value of the materials. Ivory, silver, pewter (or other metals), wood and horn were cut into faceted rods which were bound together to form geometric patterns. When the glue has set, the rods were sliced in transverse sections. This gave the maker a number of angled circular pieces in the original pattern. Several variations of patterns could be achieved by combining the materials in different ways. The ivory was sometimes dyed green to give an extra color. The mosaic pieces in a combination of patterns, often separated by ivory, ebony, horn or silver stringing were used to veneer sandalwood boxes. In the early boxes, which date from the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, there are large panels of mosaic covering tops and sides of boxes. It took incredible skill to cover such large areas without any shakes or wavering of the pattern. The corners and joins on these boxes are impeccably matched. The makers (reputed to be Persian) of Sadeli mosaic made in the first two decades of the 19th century displayed a total understanding of the qualities of the different materials they used. They combined substances, which can expand and contract according to atmospheric conditions with others, which are hard and unyielding. The result was a sharp definition of the lines and patterns, which made up the whole design. On the early boxes the designs look deceptively simple. The fact is, they emerged from a culture, which had mastered geometry and understood how to generate a pattern from a set number of points. The patterns are so harmoniously combined that their incredible complexity is not immediately apparent. The earliest Sadeli boxes...

Antique George III quality mahogany inlaid post box having a serpentine shaped front lift up lid with a satinwood inlaid shell to the centre opening to reveal compartments for letter...

An elegant fine quality English Regency period tea caddy. Circa 1815 Born in the early 19th century, exquisitely hand-crafted from the finest exotic rosewood, rectangular sarcopha...

Rare keywind music box by Nicole Freres. Playing 8 tunes as indicated on the original tunesheet. 7 tunes by Bellini from the opera's Puritana, La Norma. 1 tune by Donizetti. Althoug...

Maitland Smith 1980s large tessellated stone and brass inlay decorative box. Light pink stone with light pink detailing. Brass banding retains unpolished patina.

Very nice and early overture music box, probably by Lecoultre (alltough unsigned). The key wind mechanism plays 4 overtures with a nice and bright tone on a very fine comb. The fad c...

Huge wonderfully decorated wooden box, an original of the Jugendstil era, made in Austria. This casket is an impressive example of the craftsmanship of the period around 1900. Only ...

Lines of shagreen cover elegant tissue box, allowing subtle differences in the natural tone and texture of each panel.

Imagine rediscovering this beautiful box every day for the rest of your life. Being warmed and reinspired by its beautiful rare timbers and exceptional world class craftsmanship. The...

19th century Anglo-Indian sandal wood box, Sadeli mosaic box fitted with various compartments finely hand-carved with the Taj Mahal. Of sarcophagus form ...

A beautiful and top condition antique black forest jewelry box, carved on all sides. This rare and large jewelry box makes a beautiful accessory for a lady with an eye for fine arts. It is a very well fine carved gem and highly practical with a good working lock and key. The detailed leafs, branches and flowers on top and the marvelous blue...

This exquisite antique parquetry writing box or lap desk is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in Canada in approximately 1900 in a Folk Art style. The box itself, including th...

English 19th Century Small on Box on Stand With Inlaid Mother-Of-Pearl. This is an antique English walnut dressing or vanity box, dating to the 19th century. The box features a beaut...

Beautiful early 19th century French liqueur box. It contains four bottles and eight glasses, Charles X period.

Unique and all handcrafted, wrought iron box attr. to Hugo Berger Goberg. It is always refreshing to find an antique object probably by a famous maker, that you have never seen befo...

This straw inlay box is sumptuous, with twisted details on the handle and all around the edges. I think it was originally used to store jewellery.

A stunning, rare fine quality French gilt bronze mounted Kingwood marquetry bibus (miniature bibliothèque). In the manner of/possibly by celebrated ébéniste Maison Paul Sormani; the ...

Vintage handmade and hand painted John Richard beige, gold leaf and Brass tessellated Shell Bone decorative jewelry box. Features a lined with black Ultrasuede Fruit Wood Box to stor...

This is a truly unique antique box, not only does it have a faux book front. Fine inlay detail to the top - showcasing birds but it has a very cool hidden document storage...

Large antique French Napoleon III box with inlaid bronze decor, polished black color surface, inside brown velvet. Includes key. After the reno...

Exquisite handcrafted Middle Eastern Lebanese mosaic marquetry wood box. Small octagonal walnut Syrian style box intricately decorated with Moorish...